tidy

1 of 3

adjective

ti·​dy ˈtī-dē How to pronounce tidy (audio)
tidier; tidiest
Synonyms of tidy
1
a
: neat and orderly in appearance or habits : well ordered and cared for
b
: methodical, precise
a tidy mind
2
: large, substantial
a tidy profit
3
: adequately satisfactory : acceptable, fair
a tidy solution to their problem
4
: properly filled out : plump
tidily adverb
tidiness noun

tidy

2 of 3

verb

tidied; tidying

transitive verb

: to put in order
tidy up a room

intransitive verb

: to make things tidy
tidying up after supper
tidier noun

tidy

3 of 3

noun

plural tidies
1
: a usually compartmentalized receptacle for various small objects
2
: a piece of fancywork used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soil

Examples of tidy in a Sentence

Adjective He has always been a tidy person. She earns a tidy salary. They paid a tidy sum for the house. Verb I tidied the house before they arrived.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Get into a routine of deadheading fading flowers regularly to keep the garden tidy and encourage more blooms from flowers like dahlias, marigolds, coneflowers, and roses. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 31 May 2026 The garden is a tidy collection of rectangular plots tended by co-team leads Elaine Davis and Jessica Asimus and three Colorado master gardeners. Special To The Denver Post, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
Verb
There are various Japanese methods and techniques for tidying up our homes, ranging from those made famous by Marie Kondo, to the year-end oosouji cleaning tradition and the Lean Method for eliminating obstacles from our work and other spaces. Veronica Cristino, Vogue, 8 June 2026 Deliver the grass, cut the grass, paint the lines, tidy it up after each game. Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tidy

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, timely, in good condition, from tide time

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1821, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

circa 1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tidy was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tidy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tidy. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

tidy

1 of 3 adjective
ti·​dy ˈtīd-ē How to pronounce tidy (audio)
tidier; tidiest
1
: well ordered and cared for
2
: large, substantial
a tidy price

tidy

2 of 3 verb
tidied; tidying
1
: to put in order
tidy up the room
2
: to make things tidy

tidy

3 of 3 noun
plural tidies
: a fancy covering used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soiling

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